Season 1 Summary and Speculation

[CatMom5]

The question of who Annabelle might be has been very intriguing. While it may seem out there, I think that she might be a baby Kate gave birth to. Why? First looking back at the hunting trip that the Wallis family took in 1993, we see Kate started to form a friendship of sorts with Martin Harris. There have been alot people theorizing that perhaps they were having a mutual relationship...maybe they slept together in a moment of weakness and it resulted in the pregnancy of Annabelle. Furthering this idea, we also know that there was some kind of fight or disagreement between Kate and her mother right before she was kidnapped. Maybe Kate shared her suspicion of being pregnant with her Mom and it led to a fight. Her mom is definitely a woman who cares about status and public image so having a pregnant teenage daughter would definitely cause waves. If Kate took off in anger and went to share the news with Martin...assuming he was the father...that could be what led him to locking her in his basement. It's an out there idea but it could very well be the case. Maybe a partial reason for her change in appearance and attitude upon being rescued could have to do with post-partum depression. I don't know what would have happened to Annabelle when Kate was rescued and Martin was killed, but Kate's family has the wealth to place the baby up for adoption and make sure the mistake of Annabelle is never discovered. It will be interesting to see who she turns out to be!

[RachelKM]

I know there are two episodes left.  But I noticed that some issues in the episode thread started bleeding in to larger discussions of arc rather than specific episode issued.  So I thought it might be good to have a thread in which we could talk about anything that has aired.

[RachelKM]

I rewatched the first three episodes and it's impressive how well this show holds together, dropping references that later get fleshed out.  Jamie's sitting in the car watching Jeanette's house holding her picture takes on a different tone seeing him apologize in Episode 8. (No it's still not enough.  Jeanette better not forgive that easily).  But the gun, man. Why did he have a gun and how will that come back into play?

 

[BingeyKohan]

I really can't imagine how they're going to tie up Annabelle. (not literally tie her up, unless... just kidding.) Is she an alter? Is she somehow Mallory or Jeanette in disguise, creating a fake identity to rescue Kate without revealing her real identity so she won't get in trouble for knowing Kate was there and doing nothing? Didn't Kate indicate she never met her until the day she got rescued?

Maybe somehow Mallory puts it together that the girl Martin previously groomed was named Annabelle (she realizes this from the yearbook) and she realizes she can somehow get access to Martin's house (thereby freeing Kate) if she masquerades as Annabelle wanting to reconnect with him. It's sort of weird that Mallory is the keeper of the yearbook AND the snowglobe, both of which are sure to have some significance -- though they haven't revisited the yearbook in a while so who knows.

 

[Pallida]

I started this show late - marathoning it last week and now regretting not waiting a few more weeks because I want to see all the pieces tied together.

I keep thinking about the subtly of Cindy implanting ideas into Jeanette's head that she deserves status and that she'll come into her own. I forget which episode that happened in, but there was one comment that Cindy made that was basically "you will become beautiful and everybody will love you!" and I wanted to throttle her for the possibility of implanting insecurity that Jeanette wasn't currently good enough. Maybe I just don't like the frantic nature of the portrayal and I'm biased against Cindy, but I also got the feeling that she thought Mallory was several rungs beneath Jeanette - not just because of her general attitude and interactions with peers, but because of her home life and/or socioeconomic status. 

In 1993, Jeanette seems to have this awkward sense of entitlement and expectation, and after Kate disappeared, it manifested - perhaps reinforcing the sense of entitlement. It's quite the nice contrast to Kate who has social status but is not obsessed with social climbing (like her mother). By 1995, I think both Jeanette and Kate have learned just how much "appearances" can damage you and the precariousness of social status.

 

[peachmangosteen]

12 hours ago, RachelKM said:

This episode is June 26, 5 days after the Jeanette's birthday 4 days after everyone learns Kate has been found (E1 starts on 6/21, but covers 2 days). I'm assuming the gunshot we heard the evening of 6/21/94 was Martin dying (killing himself?) when Kate was found.  

What I don't get is if that gun shot was Martin being shot, then why wasn't Kate rescued until the next morning? I have it in my head that it was said that the police shot Martin, but perhaps that was never said.

[RachelKM]

1 hour ago, peachmangosteen said:

What I don't get is if that gun shot was Martin being shot, then why wasn't Kate rescued until the next morning? I have it in my head that it was said that the police shot Martin, but perhaps that was never said.

Everyone learned of Kate's rescue the next day. We don't necessarily know when everything went down.  If I remember correctly, Tennille came in with the phone in her hand and told them Kate had been found. It could have been hours before that became public and made the phone tree path to Tennille.  Kate would have been taken to the hospital and checked out.  Plus, enough time had passed for Jamie to be informed (whether by having seen Kate or having it relayed) that Kate believed Jeanette knew where she was. 

As for Martin, I'm just speculating based on how pointed that scene was that it involved Martin. I'm not sure we've ever been told precisely how he was shot.  I also assumed he was shot by police.  But the more I thought about it and the more we've seen of Martin, the less I think he would have done something that would have lead to him being shot by the cops.  He is a middle aged, clean cut, white dude. They tend to get taken in alive if they don't kill themselves (either directly or suicide by cop).  Plus, from what we've seen, he doesn't seem the fight to the death type.  He seems more the shame filled can't face the truth or the consequences of his actions type. Again, though, this is all speculation.  

[peachmangosteen]

Kate is shown being take out of the house in daylight though, I’m pretty sure.

[RachelKM]

8 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

Kate is shown being take out of the house in daylight though, I’m pretty sure.

That seems familiar now that you say it.  Though, it doesn't rule out Martin killing himself.  Do we know that he died while the cops were there? Maybe he killed himself outright and that is when Kate was able to call the police and/or the shot caused the cops to be called and it took time for them to find her.  

I know, I'm going out on a limb now.... 

[peachmangosteen]

I just rewatched the relevant scenes from episode 1.

Jamie, Jeanette, and Vince hear a gun shot at night as it’s dark out. Then some day after that, I’m assuming the next day but didn’t pay enough attention to know if that is made clear, Jeanette finds out Kate was found. Jamie punches Jeanette. Jeanette is at home afterwards and the news is on and it says ‘missing teenager Kate Wallace was rescued today and her abductor has been killed in a deadly shootout,’ and Kate is shown being escorted out of the house by police in daylight.

[mamadrama]

1 hour ago, RachelKM said:

Everyone learned of Kate's rescue the next day. We don't necessarily know when everything went down. 

They showed Kate being led from the house with police in the daylight. 

Edited: sorry @peachmangosteen I just saw your post! 

Edited June 4, 2021 by mamadrama

[JenE4]

1 hour ago, peachmangosteen said:

I just rewatched the relevant scenes from episode 1.

Jamie, Jeanette, and Vince hear a gun shot at night as it’s dark out. Then some day after that, I’m assuming the next day but didn’t pay enough attention to know if that is made clear, Jeanette finds out Kate was found. Jamie punches Jeanette. Jeanette is at home afterwards and the news is on and it says ‘missing teenager Kate Wallace was rescued today and her abductor has been killed in a deadly shootout,’ and Kate is shown being escorted out of the house by police in daylight.

So, that is interesting that it was nighttime when the shot—singular, not quite what I would define as “a shootout”—took place, but the Police didn’t arrive until morning to get Kate out of there? Because otherwise the first thing they would do is get the victim removed to safety. It’s possible (yet unlikely) that this is a continuity error. It’s also possible that “Annabelle” shot Kate, not the police. I think it was the episode with the hunting trip that I speculated that they wouldn’t have shown Kate to be an expert shooter if this wasn’t going to be relevant to the story. I tend to think Kate’s dissociative “Annabelle” personality came out that night with Kate’s marksmanship skills and SHE shot Martin, but she doesn’t remember doing so. She may have been in the “Annabelle” state all night, and then only the next day “Kate” woke up to find Martin shot, with vague recollections of Annabelle and the freedom to finally call the police. I think once she begins to remember “who” Annabelle is, it will all come back to her.

Speaking of Chekhov’s gun...we wouldn’t have seen Jamie’s gun if THAT wasn’t going to come into play somehow. But we know HE didn’t shoot Martin—or whomever was shot that night—because we saw him saying goodnight to Jeanette when it happened. Vince was also there. Anyone else is fair game, I guess! (I’m sticking with Kate as Annabelle.) But what I want to know is who is ultimately going to be shot by Jamie’s gun?? Otherwise there’s absolutely no reason for him to have it, and it’s breaking a cardinal rule of playwrighting!

[Pallida]

All of this discussion is making me wonder if either Kate or Annabelle (assuming that’s an alter) was allowed free range of the house while the other was combative and wanted to leave - leading to basement time. If she has awareness of each alter, perhaps she was able to fool Martin into giving her free range, shoot him, and then she slipped into the other alter who needed to cope with the death before leaving the house. 

[Spartan Girl]

I’m just amazed at how many people sincerely believe that Mallory is evil and that she was somehow involved in the abduction and framed Jeanette for it. Seriously?

Look, she may not be likable at times, but I honestly haven’t seen any indication that she’s evil for God’s sake.

12 hours ago, Pallida said:

I started this show late - marathoning it last week and now regretting not waiting a few more weeks because I want to see all the pieces tied together.

I keep thinking about the subtly of Cindy implanting ideas into Jeanette's head that she deserves status and that she'll come into her own. I forget which episode that happened in, but there was one comment that Cindy made that was basically "you will become beautiful and everybody will love you!" and I wanted to throttle her for the possibility of implanting insecurity that Jeanette wasn't currently good enough. Maybe I just don't like the frantic nature of the portrayal and I'm biased against Cindy, but I also got the feeling that she thought Mallory was several rungs beneath Jeanette - not just because of her general attitude and interactions with peers, but because of her home life and/or socioeconomic status. 

In 1993, Jeanette seems to have this awkward sense of entitlement and expectation, and after Kate disappeared, it manifested - perhaps reinforcing the sense of entitlement. It's quite the nice contrast to Kate who has social status but is not obsessed with social climbing (like her mother). By 1995, I think both Jeanette and Kate have learned just how much "appearances" can damage you and the precariousness of social status.

 

Ooh good points. That entitlement seems to rear its head in a bit from the trailer where Kate and Jeanette confronting each other, which goes like this:

Jeanette: Can you not see how you’ve ruined my life?!

Kate: You STOLE mine!

Jeanette: YOU DIDN’T EVEN WANT IT!

That made my jaw drop. Jeanette is basically justifying taking Kate’s place because Kate didn’t appreciate it? Wooooow. And if this fits with Jeanette and her lawyer using the chatroom to accuse her of faking the kidnapping because she secretly wanted to run away with Harris, then Jeanette has lost what little sympathy I have for her.

I have no idea how Annabelle is going to pan out.

 

[RachelKM]

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

I’m just amazed at how many people sincerely believe that Mallory is evil and that she was somehow involved in the abduction and framed Jeanette for it. Seriously?

Look, she may not be likable at times, but I honestly haven’t seen any indication that she’s evil for God’s sake.

This has surprised me too.  I really don't think there are villains among the teens, even Tennille and Renee seem like your standard issue shallow, status conscious teenage assholes.  And even as bad as they seem, it's more because we only know surface things about them. Tennille's mom is a piece of work and likely screwed her up plenty.  

2 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Jeanette: YOU DIDN’T EVEN WANT IT!

That made my jaw drop. Jeanette is basically justifying taking Kate’s place because Kate didn’t appreciate it? Wooooow. And if this fits with Jeanette and her lawyer using the chatroom to accuse her of faking the kidnapping because she secretly wanted to run away with Harris, then Jeanette has lost what little sympathy I have for her.

I don't think that is what they plan.  It would be dumb.  It would have been apparent from Kate's condition, evidence in the home, and her complete absence of communication for nearly a year that, at some point, Kate was not there by choice. 

I took that statement as Jeanette simply lashing back for what she feels was an attack that is 1) part pretense of outrage on Kate's part since did seem to be chafing at her life constraints as much as Jeanette was chafing at her own and 2) touching on a core insecurity that Jeanette had the whole time that she was maybe just a poor Kate substitute for all of them, a fear which seemed to be realize to the extent that Jamie, Tennille, and Renee all dropped her when Kate returned.  Granted, they dropped her because of the claim that she knew where Kate was.  But to Jeanette, she must have felt utterly abandoned and as if the immediate defection proved she was little more than a place holder. 

Or maybe I'm overthinking this.... I do that. 

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by RachelKM

[peachmangosteen]

1 hour ago, Spartan Girl said:

I’m just amazed at how many people sincerely believe that Mallory is evil and that she was somehow involved in the abduction and framed Jeanette for it. Seriously?

Look, she may not be likable at times, but I honestly haven’t seen any indication that she’s evil for God’s sake.

 

5 minutes ago, RachelKM said:

This has surprised me too.  

I do think some of it is probably because the actress playing Mallory simply isn't very good lol. Also, the nature of these ~mystery~ shows is that people are gonna think up some crazy stuff, especially because the showrunners of these shows are usually talking up how twisty they are or how people won't see what's coming.

[mamadrama]

8 hours ago, JenE4 said:

So, that is interesting that it was nighttime when the shot—singular, not quite what I would define as “a shootout”—took place, but the Police didn’t arrive until morning to get Kate out of there? Because otherwise the first thing they would do is get the victim removed to safety. It’s possible (yet unlikely) that this is a continuity error. It’s also possible that “Annabelle” shot Kate, not the police. I think it was the episode with the hunting trip that I speculated that they wouldn’t have shown Kate to be an expert shooter if this wasn’t going to be relevant to the story. I tend to think Kate’s dissociative “Annabelle” personality came out that night with Kate’s marksmanship skills and SHE shot Martin, but she doesn’t remember doing so. She may have been in the “Annabelle” state all night, and then only the next day “Kate” woke up to find Martin shot, with vague recollections of Annabelle and the freedom to finally call the police. I think once she begins to remember “who” Annabelle is, it will all come back to her.

Speaking of Chekhov’s gun...we wouldn’t have seen Jamie’s gun if THAT wasn’t going to come into play somehow. But we know HE didn’t shoot Martin—or whomever was shot that night—because we saw him saying goodnight to Jeanette when it happened. Vince was also there. Anyone else is fair game, I guess! (I’m sticking with Kate as Annabelle.) But what I want to know is who is ultimately going to be shot by Jamie’s gun?? Otherwise there’s absolutely no reason for him to have it, and it’s breaking a cardinal rule of playwrighting!

If you're interested in this alter ego Annabelle theory then it's actually been addressed by one of the series' main stars:

Spoiler

 

https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a36619514/cruel-summer-season-1-finale-annabelle-theory/

with just two episodes remaining, Allius has ruled out one potential outcome: Annabelle is not Kate or Martin's alter ego. Asked about his favourite fan theories, Allius told Elite Daily: "A funny one [is] that Annabelle is Kate or Martin's alter-ego, and that Martin has passed on this different personality to Kate and trained her to become another person.

"That was pretty crazy. It sounds like a really good show. Unfortunately, it's not ours."

 

 

I tried to hide this under a spoilers thingy. Not really sure if it counts as one since it's not exactly giving anything big away, but you never know. 

[mamadrama]

5 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

I’m just amazed at how many people sincerely believe that Mallory is evil and that she was somehow involved in the abduction and framed Jeanette for it. Seriously?

Look, she may not be likable at times, but I honestly haven’t seen any indication that she’s evil for God’s sake.

Ooh good points. That entitlement seems to rear its head in a bit from the trailer where Kate and Jeanette confronting each other, which goes like this:

Jeanette: Can you not see how you’ve ruined my life?!

Kate: You STOLE mine!

Jeanette: YOU DIDN’T EVEN WANT IT!

That made my jaw drop. Jeanette is basically justifying taking Kate’s place because Kate didn’t appreciate it? Wooooow. And if this fits with Jeanette and her lawyer using the chatroom to accuse her of faking the kidnapping because she secretly wanted to run away with Harris, then Jeanette has lost what little sympathy I have for her.

I have no idea how Annabelle is going to pan out.

 

I'm afraid that many people are going to be disappointed in the ending. Marketing this show as a mystery has people actively trying to solve it, and I've seen theories ranging from time travel to multiple personalities. I don't think there IS a mystery to it, though. At least not in the traditional sense. We know who the bad guy is-the rest is just seeing how it all falls together. In the end I think everything will have a simple, rational explanation. For instance, there were people who thought that Jeanette knew about Kate before anyone else because SHE was the one who kidnapped her when, in actuality, she simply overheard the conversation. 

The only villain is Martin. Everything else seemed to just happen by chance-one little event after another after another, much like the Rube Goldberg machine. Jeanette, Mallory, Jamie...all these people seem to be average, normal folk. Some more troubled than others, some in need of intense therapy, but no criminal masterminds and nothing evil.

[BingeyKohan]

That semi-spoiler above about what Annabelle is or isn’t is such a relief to me! Although I still can’t figure how she is going to come into the picture in a believable way.

maybe she’s Annabelle Bronstein from Sex and the City canon.

Edited June 5, 2021 by BingeyKohan

[peachmangosteen]

11 hours ago, mamadrama said:

I don't think there IS a mystery to it, though. At least not in the traditional sense. We know who the bad guy is-the rest is just seeing how it all falls together.  

I agree with this but I do think there are still several 'mysteries'/unanswered questions. 

Who is Annabelle?
What was the gunshot that Vince/Jamie/Jeanette heard?
How was Kate rescued/Martin killed?
Why does Kate think Jeanette saw her? (Since it seems blatantly obvious that Jeanette did not see her.)
What was the voicemail?

[mamadrama]

21 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

I agree with this but I do think there are still several 'mysteries'/unanswered questions. 

Who is Annabelle?
What was the gunshot that Vince/Jamie/Jeanette heard?
How was Kate rescued/Martin killed?
Why does Kate think Jeanette saw her? (Since it seems blatantly obvious that Jeanette did not see her.)
What was the voicemail?

Right, that's what I meant by the "traditional sense" and how it all falls together. We know the big answer, the "who", we're just still trying to learn all the "hows." For some who are still expecting time travel, all of this to be a dream, etc the ending might be a letdown. I personally enjoy it. I like watching all the pieces slide into place. 

[peachmangosteen]

2 minutes ago, mamadrama said:

For some who are still expecting time travel, all of this to be a dream, etc the ending might be a letdown. I personally enjoy it. 

Oh ok yea I don't think there's going to be any sci-fi stuff lol. It'll all be grounded. But there are a lot of things that still need explained and I really don't see how they can do it in 2 eps tbh.

[peachmangosteen]

Apparently there is some spec that 'Annabelle' is a gun, which seems like a good bet.

[mamadrama]

1 hour ago, peachmangosteen said:

Oh ok yea I don't think there's going to be any sci-fi stuff lol. It'll all be grounded. But there are a lot of things that still need explained and I really don't see how they can do it in 2 eps tbh.

Yeah, I'm nervous about that. It reminds me of LOST. They opened up so many mysteries that there was no way they could ever tie up all the loose ends. With this one I'm afraid they'll either try to shove everything in at once or they'll leave some things ambiguous.

I think there's a good chance Annabelle is a gun, maybe the one Martin's dad died from. Martin said he didn't like guns, didn't like to shoot, but there are literally shooting trophies in his school office...

IMO I think one of the "well, shit" moments will be when Kate learns that it was her new BFF who saw her at Martin's (through the window) and NOT Jeanette (though I still think Jeanette broke in and stole the snow globe) but that there was no real animosity there, just mistakes. I'm hoping that it will end with everyone coming to grips with the idea that they didn't really need a bad guy after all. Kate realizes that Jeanette didn't see her, Mallory feels bad for treating Jeanette the way she did, Ben realizes that the accident was NOT Jeanette's fault, Cindy understanding that it wasn't really Jeanette's situation and Greg that made her want to leave, etc.

[Cinnabon]

If Kate had been the one to shoot and kill Martin, the police would have figured that out and Kate would be fully aware of it.

[mamadrama]

Okay, here's my boring theory about the show:

Despite Kate's animosity towards Jeanette, Mallory is the one who saw Kate in Martin's house. I think she saw it on the video, or while she was filming it, but didn't say anything because she didn't realize how bad the situation was at the time. She might not have even realized the girl in the window was Kate. 

Once Kate was rescued and it came to light that Martin had been holding her captive I think Mallory suffered a ton of guilt because she realized that if she'd said something sooner Kate might've been rescued. That's why she is in therapy. The reason she's going out of her way to be nice to Kate is due to guilt and penance. Mallory didn't do anything wrong, per se, but but she feels responsible. I DO think that Mallory believes Kate about Jeanette seeing her, and that's one of the reasons she's angry at J-NOT because J didn't tell anyone about Kate but because of her OWN guilt for not telling anyone. It's transference. 

Jeanette stole the snow globe from Martin's and gave it to Mallory as a peace offering. You can see it in Jeanette's room at one point. Jeanette recognized the music and when she heard it she realized that Kate WAS in the house at that time (Kate made the call) because she remembers the music box going off before she stole it. In fact, Jeanette may have been the one who accidentally made it go off. It would suck if Kate was hiding with the cordless and didn't speak to Jamie on the phone because she thought it was Martin. 

If Mallory had told someone about the girl in the window, if Kate had spoken up on the phone, if Tanya had told someone about the teen girl in Martin's closet, if Joy had gone to the police sooner, if Jamie had told someone about Martin giving them a ride home that night...If. 

At first I hated the last scene but then I thought it was kind of sad and sweet. Even though the girls aren't friends anymore, Mallory still keeps a reminder of Jeanette. I think she still misses their old friendship but doesn't see a way back.

Jeanette never saw Kate but Kate honestly remembers seeing Jeanette. Whether she REALLY saw her or Martin convinced her she did (planting a false memory) could go either way. Jeanette dropped the necklace and Martin found it. He used it to convince Kate that J was really in the house and to gaslight her more ("See? Jeanette was here but she hates you and won't tell anyone"). 

Annabelle? Either an object, like his gun, or someone we don't know yet. Tanya came from out of left field so this person could, too.

In the end everyone will learn that the only villain is Martin. Everyone else made choices that they thought were okay at the time. Nobody acted out of animosity. Anger is being misdirected because everyone needs someone to blame and, well, Martin is dead. 

Thanks for coming to my Tedx Talk. 

[ParadoxLost]

Annabelle theory:

Martin brainwashed Kate to the point that he was able to use her to lure another girl back to the house.  That girl was Annabelle. Or maybe Martin did it on his own.

The night of the gunshot, there was an altercation of some kind and Annabelle was killed.

Martin disposed of her body and she hasn't to this point been found.  Or if she was found there was nothing to tie her back to Martin or Kate.

In the aftermath of this, investigation of the gunshot or Kate somehow reached out to the police, there was a shootout between Martin and the police and Martin was killed and Kate rescued.

Kate has blocked out the trauma of it.

Also, part of me is thinking that maybe this is a Kate thought Annabelle was killed situation and blocked it but Annabelle got away.

I only say this because I think after this season that its probably not that interesting to see Jeanette's timelines anymore. 

- In 1993 she'll just be doing the popular teenage girl thing until Kate is found

- In 1994 she'll be treading water between being the outcast and filing the lawsuit

-In 1995 whatever the outcome of the case is, it will be over.

I'm thinking they do wrap up the mystery of what did Jeanette know and then kickoff another season with Kate/Annabelle's stories being told.

Edited June 6, 2021 by ParadoxLost

[mamadrama]

The gunshot at night vs Kate not being rescued until the next day is confusing, but there's always a chance that the nighttime shot wasn't Martin dying. He could've been shooting someone else. 

[Pallida]

I enjoy the speculating and theories, regardless of whether or not any are correct! 
I think it’s very intentional and telling that the show never said Martin was shot by the police. The way the news report was given makes it seem unlikely the police shot him, but it also keeps us guessing. 

[peachmangosteen]

18 hours ago, mamadrama said:

Jeanette stole the snow globe from Martin's and gave it to Mallory as a peace offering. You can see it in Jeanette's room at one point. Jeanette recognized the music and when she heard it she realized that Kate WAS in the house at that time (Kate made the call) because she remembers the music box going off before she stole it.

This is where I'm confused about the snow globe because yea initially I was like she must recognize the music but there isn't any music in the phone call, is there? It's like dialogue from a move/tv show. I don't understand why a snow globe would play that, but who knows I guess lol.

13 hours ago, Pallida said:

I think it’s very intentional and telling that the show never said Martin was shot by the police. The way the news report was given makes it seem unlikely the police shot him, but it also keeps us guessing. 

To me, it does sound like they're insinuating the police shot him. The news report says, 'missing teenager Kate Wallace was rescued today and her abductor has been killed in a deadly shootout.' The 'shootout' says to me the police were involved, but I guess perhaps someone else in the house (i.e. Kate) could have been involved but that would imply that Martin and Kate both had guns, which seems unlikely to me. But if the police did indeed shoot him, then the gunshot J/J/V heard must have been another thing because it wouldn't make sense for the police to shoot Martin at night and then not get Kate out of the house until the next day. 

The gunshot J/J/V heard and the logistics of Kate's recuse are my biggest questions at this point.

[Chaos Theory]

I think this show is ultimately how we all interpret events.   Jeanette has been skulking around especially in 93 and 94 and used Kate’s disappearance to her advantage even dropping Mallory who was no longer useful to her.    Even as an audience we have all been using minor inconsistencies against Mallory but what has she actually done to deserve it? Martin has used Jeanette social climbing and skulking around to his benefit..  I don’t think he even had to lie to her.   Hey guess what Jeanette has been in the house and left you here to rot so she could date your boyfriend.     There is some truth to that statement so when Kate is freed and sees Jeanette with her boyfriend she interprets the interaction as Jeanette  knowing the whole time that she had been trapped with Martin.

Edited June 6, 2021 by Chaos Theory

[RachelKM]

5 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

This is where I'm confused about the snow globe because yea initially I was like she must recognize the music but there isn't any music in the phone call, is there? It's like dialogue from a move/tv show. I don't understand why a snow globe would play that, but who knows I guess lol.

I heard what sounded like a tinkling music box style music at the start of the recording and then there is what sounds like movie dialog with music swelling after the lines. 

[mamadrama]

6 hours ago, RachelKM said:

I heard what sounded like a tinkling music box style music at the start of the recording and then there is what sounds like movie dialog with music swelling after the lines. 

I thought I heard music, too.

It's possible that Jeanette remembered the dialogue from the movie that was playing. ie, Martin's tv was on at the time. But that doesn't explain the music box and what looking at it might show her. 

[mamadrama]

Okay, my daughter and I just rewatched. You can hear the music box. It even says "tinny notes on tape" in the CC. You can hear the music box more clearly the first time when Jamie's alone than when he plays it for Jeanette. 

[cardigirl]

On 6/4/2021 at 4:41 PM, Spartan Girl said:

I’m just amazed at how many people sincerely believe that Mallory is evil and that she was somehow involved in the abduction and framed Jeanette for it. Seriously?

Look, she may not be likable at times, but I honestly haven’t seen any indication that she’s evil for God’s sake.

Ooh good points. That entitlement seems to rear its head in a bit from the trailer where Kate and Jeanette confronting each other, which goes like this:

Jeanette: Can you not see how you’ve ruined my life?!

Kate: You STOLE mine!

Jeanette: YOU DIDN’T EVEN WANT IT!

That made my jaw drop. Jeanette is basically justifying taking Kate’s place because Kate didn’t appreciate it? Wooooow. And if this fits with Jeanette and her lawyer using the chatroom to accuse her of faking the kidnapping because she secretly wanted to run away with Harris, then Jeanette has lost what little sympathy I have for her.

I have no idea how Annabelle is going to pan out.

 

I know I said Mallory is evil, but I don't think she abducted Kate or framed Jeanette.  I think she knows a lot, and is taking advantage, somehow, as payback for Jeanette's betrayal of her.

IF she knew where Kate was and didn't come forward, than she is as responsible as Jeanette might be, and IF she knew that Jeanette frequented that house many many times and hasn't told the police or Kate (in order to maintain that friendship) or Kate's family, than she's protecting Jeanette for some reason, but why?

My big fear is that poor sweet Vince is going to get caught up in this somehow. 

Totally agree with you about Jeanette, though.  The show has done very little to make me feel any sympathy for her. In one of the episodes there were two references to The Talented Mr. Ripley, a novel about a young man who steals another man's life by murdering him and convincing everyone that it was a suicide. Mr. Ripley is charming and cunning and sociopathic.  And very very lucky.

And I can't think but that's a huge clue to something. 

 

 

[BingeyKohan]

Remind me, did they *show* us Mallory filming Martin with her video camera, or just the footage she actually captured (in the tape itself, while we were 'watching' it the same time the school was)?

I only ask because... (hiding it because it's speculation based on something I'm not sure was in an episode yet but might be in a future one)

Spoiler

I don't remember this sequence being in the episode with her tape. Was it? I don't recall seeing her out doing the actual filming. And here it looks like she is seeing and reacting to something odd about what she's captured (such as spotting Kate in the window at Martin's) But then again she didn't seem to have a particularly freighted reaction to Martin when he found her in the AV room, I didn't think. So color me confused. Or maybe just inattentive (if it actually was in the episode).

 

[peachmangosteen]

3 minutes ago, BingeyKohan said:

Remind me, did they *show* us Mallory filming Martin with her video camera, or just the footage she actually captured (in the tape itself, while we were 'watching' it the same time the school was)?

I don't recall them showing that, which surprised me becasue I was like um Mallory filming that means there's a solid chance she noticed Kate so that's sort of a big deal lol. 

[BingeyKohan]

6 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

I don't recall them showing that, which surprised me becasue I was like um Mallory filming that means there's a solid chance she noticed Kate so that's sort of a big deal lol. 

Right? Or just her actually doing it at all -- filming and editing all that is a lot of leg work!

[peachmangosteen]

Yea, it's interesting they didn't show that. It suggests to me that Mallory did see Kate and they want that as a big reveal in the penultimate or final ep. 

[KaveDweller]

11 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

I don't recall them showing that, which surprised me becasue I was like um Mallory filming that means there's a solid chance she noticed Kate so that's sort of a big deal lol. 

I am really curious about this. 

Mallory filmed that before she knew Kate was missing. It is very possible she noticed a person inside Martin's house but didn't notice it was Kate. It probably wouldn't even occur to her at that time, since when she filmed it, Kate didn't appear in distress. She could have just thought, "Oh, Mr. Harris has a girlfriend." If she did see it was Kate, she may have thought it was weird at first, and then when she knew Kate was missing figured out what it meant. I'm curious is Kate saw Mallory....she likely wouldn't have thought anything of it at that point, she didn't know she was a prisoner.

I also wonder if Mallory didn't see anything originally, but kept her original footage and realized way later she had evidence the whole time?

 

Edited June 8, 2021 by KaveDweller

[RachelKM]

 

4 minutes ago, KaveDweller said:

Mallory filmed that before she knew Kate was missing. It is very possible she noticed a person inside Martin's house but didn't notice it was Kate.

I think this is likely.  It is possible that Mallory realized who it was she saw when Kate was finally found.  But on the day of, a blonde woman/adolescent from a distance and only half-lit living room/hall would be unlikely to be sufficiently clear in the camera or to Mallory's naked eye to recognize her as Kate unless she was either 1) looking specifically for Kate knowing she was missing or 2) knew Kate very well so that her mannerisms would be recognizable. 

Mallory may have seen what she thought was maybe Martin's girlfriend or thought he might be having a hookup. This would be titillating enough for a teen to remember the incident and perhaps put it together in retrospect.  But it wouldn't occur to her that it was Kate at that time unless she got a really clear look at her.

[dariafan]

Do we know why kates mom redid the dining room ?

[BingeyKohan]

I know there's a lot more payoff (especially emotionally) that we'll get out of the finale than this ... but we have 1 week for final speculation on what or who Annabelle is ... am I remembering correctly Kate said she met Annabelle on the day she escaped? If so it doesn't seem like the 'warning' Martin appears to issue in the preview really dissuaded her!

[Cheyanne11]

In the episode 10 preview we hear Martin say "you asked me how this ends--this is how this ends.  This is Annabelle."  I mean, I hate the spec that "Annabelle" is a gun, but from his words it almost sounds like it could be, and maybe he's suggesting they commit suicide together?  

[calliope1975]

1 hour ago, Cheyanne11 said:

In the episode 10 preview we hear Martin say "you asked me how this ends--this is how this ends.  This is Annabelle."  I mean, I hate the spec that "Annabelle" is a gun, but from his words it almost sounds like it could be, and maybe he's suggesting they commit suicide together?  

My guess is Annabelle is a gun. Maybe even the one his father used. I haven't figured out why Kate blocked it, though, other than, well, trauma. 

[peachmangosteen]

18 hours ago, calliope1975 said:

My guess is Annabelle is a gun. Maybe even the one his father used. I haven't figured out why Kate blocked it, though, other than, well, trauma. 

I'm assuming she shoots and kills Martin and the trauma of that and everything else has understandably fucked up her memories.

I'm confused still by why the police have told the public that there was a 'deadly shootout' though.

ETA: There's also still that news report about another girl that was involved with Martin that we didn't get the whole story on and I suspect we won't but I really need more info on that. It also could lend itself to the theory that Annabelle is an actual person.

[itsweird]

21 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

I'm assuming she shoots and kills Martin and the trauma of that and everything else has understandably fucked up her memories.

I'm confused still by why the police have told the public that there was a 'deadly shootout' though.

ETA: There's also still that news report about another girl that was involved with Martin that we didn't get the whole story on and I suspect we won't but I really need more info on that. It also could lend itself to the theory that Annabelle is an actual person.

Does a "deadly shootout" by definition HAVE to be between police - perpetrator?  Can it also just be a term for someone who shoots someone else? 

[calliope1975]

10 minutes ago, itsweird said:

Does a "deadly shootout" by definition HAVE to be between police - perpetrator?  Can it also just be a term for someone who shoots someone else? 

I don't think a shootout has to be between the police, but to me, it implies there was exchanged gunfire versus a deadly shooting, which seems more like one person shooting another. But that's just my interpretation.

[peachmangosteen]

The definition of shootout is 'a decisive gun battle' so it implies at least 2 people had guns that they were shooting at each other. And normally I hear it in relation to police and suspects tbh.

[Cinnabon]

4 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

I'm assuming she shoots and kills Martin and the trauma of that and everything else has understandably fucked up her memories.

I'm confused still by why the police have told the public that there was a 'deadly shootout' though.

ETA: There's also still that news report about another girl that was involved with Martin that we didn't get the whole story on and I suspect we won't but I really need more info on that. It also could lend itself to the theory that Annabelle is an actual person.

I agree. The police have to be clear on what happened. They wouldn’t lie to the public about a shootout. If Kate had killed Martin, that would be on the record and she would be fully aware.